OPUNAKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 July 1922, Page 6

OPUNAKE.

power board: (From Our Own Correspondent.) The Opunake Power Board assumed control of the Opunake hydro-electric works on Wednesday. Whilst the Power Board has been constituted for some time, the initiatory work and launching of the scheme have been successfully carried out by the Town Board. This is a work with very consderable possibilities for the district, and a few lines recording the work of those who took part in the promoting of the scheme may not be out of place. The particulars will also show how small affairs develop into important ones. Soon after the election of the Town Board members In 1914-15, Messrs. S. M. Cornish, E. Thorpe and J. P. Burton got into touch with a firm of hydro-engineers in Auckland, Mr. S. M. Cornish having a personal interview with the firm. The result was an expert was engaged to report. After a survey of the Waiau River, the expert was on the point of substantiating old survey records for the past 25 years, “that the Waiau River was sufficient for present purposes, but not for any future development,” when it was decided to have a look around. In the words of the expert, “I was on the point of giving up hope, when I came across the possibility of tunnelling and diverting the river into the basin.” The expert verbally reported favorably, and when the report came to hand a public meeting was called, presided over by Mr. J. P. Burton. The meeting unanimously decided to request the Town Board to go on with the scheme. A poll was taken, and some months elapsed before the Town Board decided to move, principally on account of the local people being ignorant in respect of these matters, and a strange position cropped up. The original scheme was estimated at a little over £6OOO, and the then chairman of the Town Board (the late Mr. W. C. Dudley) said he would have nothing to do with the scheme unless it was decided to raise 5 £7OOO. as he stated the estimates always ' panned out below actual cost. The other members considered he was trying to block the scheme. He stuck to his position, and £7OOO was decided on. The sum has now grown to £70,000. No further move was made until Mr. H. Toogood wrote two or three letters to the Board, pointing out that it would be good business for the , Board to have the scheme tested. So luj cidly did he put the matter that the memi bers of the Town Board, on the motion ! of Messrs. G. W. Rogers and Thorpe, de- ; cided to have his ideas tested. Mr. Too- ; good was engaged, and after his inspec- ! tion of the site and a careful and thorough ■ test, he reported favorably, and so energised the members of the board that they became actively interested. Mr. TooI good took charge of affairs, and on the ! death of Mr. W. C. Dudley, Mr. C. A. 1 Trotter was appointed chairman of the j Town Board. After a lot of preliminary • work regarding water rights, sites, etc., ' the legislation enabling power boards to | be formed was passed, and the Opunake : scheme developed into its present ninej mile radius, with authority to borrow ■ '■ £70,000. A sum of £44,000, at 6| per cent., with 2 per cent, sinking fund, will be lifted from the Public Trustee at the end of the month, and the engineer expects , to have the lights and power turned on in nine months' time. Whether the scheme will cost more than a total of £70,000, no one can say definitely. All going well, it is anticipated to cost £67,000, which is the engineer’s estimate. At. the meeting or Wednesday, those pre- ■ sent were: Messrs. C. A. Trotter (chair- ( man), M. O’Brien, F. Carter, W. L. F. Chambers, H. Young, J. P. Burton. It , was decided that the monthly meetings of , the board be held on the second Friday > in each month. Tire secretary’s salary , was fixed at £2OO per annum. Mr. A. O’Brien was appointed secretary. The chairman’s honorarium was fixed at £lOO [ per annum, and members’ attendance-fee at £1 Is per meeting. Mr. J. P. Burton , was appointed deputy-chairman. Mr. A. O’Brien, who has done all the clerical work from the first proposal until it assumed its present dimensions, has earned the office to which he has been a'p- . pointed.

GENERAL. 'The Queen Carnival, in aid of funds for renovating and enlarging the present convent, concluded on Saturday night. The attendance at the last two nights was very large. The final result of the voting is: Convent queen, Miss Pat. Moore, 1, with over 20,000 votes; Miss M. Conaglen (Pihama), 2, 13,180; Miss Gertie Halpin, 3, 10,020; Miss K. McKenna (Oaonui), 4, 9,000. The tug-o’-war contest was won by Tirimoana; Kakaramea was second, Te Kiri third. At the conclusion of the voting, the Rev. Father Doolaghty thanked all for the very successful carnival, over £658 having been taken by votes. When all' receipts are in the amount will total over £7OO. Mr. C. D. Edmonds (secretary) devoted a good deal of time and energy to making the carnival a success, while the Rev. Father Doolaghty was the organiser. The various committees supporting individual candidates worked hard during the whole period. Our cottage hospital is now in working order. A local committee has been formed with Mr. Geo. W. Rogers as chairman and Mr. T. H. H. Sinclair as secretarj r . The chairman of the Town Board and members recently made the statement that the increase of rates was due to a falling revenue. They did not mean to imply that the town was going back, though th ar is the impression it conveyed to outsiders. During the last seven years the total revenue has doubled, partly through increase of rates, registrations and licenses. The expenditure has increased out of proportion, owing to sanitary and other servees having been installed. Better service all round is the slogan for the future. Miss McDonald, proprietress of the Opunake stationery and book shop, has been seriously ill for some days. The Opunake Dramatic Society staged the old favorite comedy, “A Breach of Promise.” The society has only recently been formed, and is to be congratulated upon going before the footlights in quick time. The society intends paying our neighboring towns a visit at an early date. The club will be a very useful institution to the town, and every good wish is accorded the club.